A grip detection device that has an electrostatic capacity type sensor mounted on a steering wheel of an automobile and detects gripping of the steering wheel by a driver based on proximity detection of a human body by the electrostatic capacity type sensor, is known (Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2).
In the grip detection device described in Patent Document 1, by mounting an electrostatic capacity touch panel on an annular shaped rim (gripping part) of the steering wheel, and determining that the driver is gripping the steering wheel when, of a large number of detection electrodes configuring the electrostatic capacity touch panel, the likes of a total area of the detection electrodes that have detected proximity of the human body is a certain value or more, a misdetection of gripping due to inadvertent contact of the driver is avoided.
In the grip detection device described in Patent Document 2, by disposing one each of detection electrodes on an inner circumferential side and an outer circumferential side of an annular shaped rim (gripping part) of the steering wheel, and determining that the driver is gripping the steering wheel when each of these two detection electrodes has detected proximity of the human body, a misdetection of gripping due to inadvertent contact of the driver is avoided.